RT Journal Article
T1 A virtual reality approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: Contrasting two distinct protocols.
A1 Montero-López, Eva
A1 Santos-Ruiz, Ana
A1 García-Ríos, M Carmen
A1 Rodríguez-Blázquez, Raúl
A1 Pérez-García, Miguel
A1 Peralta-Ramírez, María Isabel
K1 Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
K1 Salivary cortisol
K1 Sympathetic activation
K1 TSST
K1 Virtual reality
AB Virtual reality adaptations of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR) constitute useful tools for studying the physiologic axes involved in the stress response. Here, we aimed to determine the most appropriate experimental approach to the TSST-VR when investigating the modulation of the axes involved in the stress response. We compared the use of goggles versus a screen projection in the TSST-VR paradigm. Forty-five healthy participants were divided into two groups: the first one (goggles condition; 13 females, 11 males) wore goggles while performing the TSST-VR; the second (screen condition; 15 females, six males) was exposed to the TSST-VR projected on a screen. Sympathetic reactivity to stress was measured by continuously recording skin conductance (SC), while the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) was evaluated by sampling salivary cortisol throughout the experiment. At the end of the task, there was an increase in SC and cortisol level for both means of delivering the TSST-VR, although the increase in SC was greater in the goggles condition, while salivary cortisol was comparable in both groups. Immersion levels were reportedly higher in the screen presentation than in the goggles group. In terms of sex differences, females experienced greater involvement and spatial presence, though comparatively less experienced realism, than their male counterparts. These findings help us determine which protocol of the TSST-VR is most suitable for the stress response under study. They also emphasize the need to consider the sex of participants, as males and females show distinct responses in each protocol.
YR 2016
FD 2016
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10668/9650
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10668/9650
LA en
DS RISalud
RD Mar 18, 2025